Adjustable buckles,fasteners and the like



`Fuly 1969 H. A. PRYM ET AL ADJUSTABLE BUCKLES, FAsTENERs AND THE LIKE Filed June 12, 1967 Sheet of 2 FIG. l.

INVENTORS m VI E 1,/ E m0. M pm im AF. T S A NE AH .HC V.. B

July 1969 H. PRYM ET AL 3,452,402

ADJUSTABLE BUCKLES, FASTENERS AND THE LIKE Filed June 12, 1967 sheet 3 of 2 s c INVENTORS HANS A. PRYM CHESTER B. DERR Wmv ATTORNEY.

3,452,402 ADJUSTABLE BUCKLES, FASTENERS AND THE LIKE Hans A. Prym, Woodstock, and Chester B. Derr, South Woodstock, Conn., assignors to William Prym Inc.,

Dayville, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed June 12, 1967, Ser. No. 645,404

Int. Cl. A44b 1]/25 U.S. Cl. 24--75 15 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE An adjustable buckle assembly comprising a buckle member attached to one end of a belt. An eye formation is formed either on the buckle member or on the belt. A tongue member is positioned on the belt spaced from the buckle member and is adapted to hook into the eye formation for fastening the belt in an operative position. The tongue member includes an adjusting means for adjusting the position of the hook along the belt and for securing the tongue member to the belt at any selected position.

The present invention relates to adjustable buckles, fasteners and the like, in general, and to completely adjustable buckles fastened by a single hook and eye formation, in particular.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a buckle with hook and eye fastener, eliminating buckle prongs and belt eyelets of prior belt fasteners, and comprising only a single hook and eye formation for use if desired with a cover-your-own-buckle, or other buckles, affording manufacturing and cost economies, as well as convenience of utility for the housewife, user, or belt manufacturer, including rapid assembly and adjustment without tools or sewing, and yet which is completely adjustable to all sizes and presents a highly fashionable aesthetic appearance.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a buckle assembly in accordance with the above-mentioned objectives comprising a buckle member which is adapted to be attached to one end of a belt web. A tongue member is adapted to be disposed on the belt web spaced apart from the buckle member. An eye means interengages with the tongue member in its operative fastened position and is disposed at least on the buckle member. The tongue member includes a hook portion having a hook adjacent the front surface of the belt web facing away from the eye means when the assembly is in an inoperative unfastened position, and is adapted to be releasably engaged in the eye formation in the fastened position. The tongue member includes an adjusting means adapted to slide the tongue member along the belt web and to releasably lock securely the tongue member to the belt web at any desired position along the belt web. The eye formation may be formed on the rear surface of the buckle member, with the tongue member being cooperatively positioned along the free end of the belt web, The tongue member is sized so as to be completely covered by the buckle member when the hook is engaged in the eye formation on the buckle member.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an adjustable buckle in accordance with the abovementioned o-bjectives, wherein the adjusting means includes a rigid tooth portion and a rigid at portion integrally formed substantially perpendicularly to each other and pivotally connected to the hook portion of the tongue member. The belt web passes between the hook portion and the tooth portion and the tooth portion includes teeth engaging securely the belt web when the at pornite States Patent O tion is pressed substantially parallel to and against the w belt web, thereby turning the teeth substantially into the belt web, and the teeth disengage the belt web for slidable adjusment of the tongue member along the belt web when the flat portion is turned substantially perpendicularly to the belt web, thereby turning the teeth substantially parallel to the ybelt web for sliding therealong.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an adjustable buckle assembly in accordance with the above-mentioned objectives wherein a cover-yourown-buckle is provided as the buckle member comprising a front form piece and a substantially complementary back plate for snapping engagement therewith, the front form piece including a plurality of rearwardly extending and inwardly bent teeth for securing a textile covering thereto and across the fro-nt of the formed teeth when the back plate and the front formed piece are snapped t0- gether with the textile therebetween. The eye formation comprises a recessed cut, or pressed out slot, formed in the rear surface of the back plate conveniently adapted to the hollow between the back plate and the front form piece.

In accordance with the above-mentioned objectives, there is provided bythe present invention an extremely useful and readily convenient buckle utilizing a single hook and complementary eye formation, yet which is completely and fully adjustable for various sizes and may be readily attached, without tools or sewing, to a belt web for use, and which may be readily adapted for cover-your-own-buckles, in particular, or other buckles including various shaped buckles. An extremely neat and hole-free belt is provided, the tongue member and hook further being covered from View by the attractive buckle member.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent in the following detailed description, the present invention will be clearly understood in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a front perspective view of a covered buckle and adjustable tongue member assembly, designed in accordance with the present invention, in fastened position;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the buckle assembly of FIG. l in unfastened position, showing the ends of the belt web, the buckle and the adjusting member;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation 0f the adjusable buckle assembly in position for fastening;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged section along the lines 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the adjustable buckle assembly in fastened position;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged section along the lines 6-6 of FIG. l;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged side sectional view of the tongue member in sliding position on the belt web;

FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of the tongue mem- -ber showing the belt web in dashed lines with the adjusting member pivoted into sliding adjustable position;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged section along the lines 9-9 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the cover-your-own buckle member;

FIG. l1 is a front elevation of another embodiment of the adjustable buckle assembly of the present invention in position for fastening; and

FIG. l2 is a perspective view of the sew-on-eye of FIG. l1 on the rear surface of the free end of the `belt web.

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. l, an adjustable buckle in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in the locked or fastened position showing the neat appearance of this buckle which does not require conventional eyelets and buckle tongues for fastening.

The adjustable buckle comprises a buckle member 1 to which is irnrnovably secured a belt web 2 at one end thereof by a sewed on loop 3 or the like (FIG. 2) which is folded over a central cross-bar 4, the latter constituting a part of the buckle member 1 and extending centrally across a central opening 5 defined by the buckle member 1. The buckle member 1 is shown :as a cover-your-own buckle having a rectangular shape with rectangular central opening 5, although it should be understood that in accordance with the present invention various other shapes, types and sizes of buckles may ybe utilized.

Referring now again to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 2, the other or free end 6 of the belt 2 contains thereon an adjustable tongue member 7 (shown in dashed lines in FIG. l), and preferably made of metal, such as hard brass or the like, which is designed for engagement with a complementary eye formation or slot 8 and! or 8 formed in either end of the rear surface of the buckle member 1, for fastening the buckle. An important feature of the present invention is that in the fastened position (FIG. l), the tongue member 7 is concealed from view by the buckle member 1, accordingly providing a highly Afashionable and aesthetic appearance. The recess or eye formation is formed preferably on the end of the buckle member 1 nearest the free end 6 (FIGS. 3 and 4) of the belt web 2 for ready engagement with the hook 9a, which points away from the free end 6 (i.e., eye formation 8). However, the eye formation may also be formed in the other end of the buckle member 1 (i.e., eye formation 8').

Referring now again to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 3 and 4, when it is desired to fasten the tongue member 7 to the buckle member 1, the free end 6 of the belt 2 is inserted from the rear surface through the nearest side of the opening 5 and forwardly over the cross-bar 4, and then rearwardly through the other side of the opening 5. In this manner there is positioned adjacent to the eye formation 8, a hook 9a of a hook portion 9, which is provided on the forward surface of the tongue member 7. The hook 9a points away from the free end 6 of the -belt web 2 and with further insertion of the free end 6 through the buckle member 1, the hook 9a may be brought into engagement with the slot 8, as shown in FIGS. l, 5 and 6. In the fastened position, any tensional force tending to pull the belt apart will not disengage the members, which for releasing requires a further insertion of the hook 9a until it is released from engagement with the eye formation 8, whereupon the end 6 of the belt web 2 may then be removed from the buckle member 1.

The tongue member 7 is specially adapted for being moved to any desired position along the length of the belt web 2 for adjusting the size of the belt, and is further adapted for being securely held in any such desired position. In FIGS. l through 6, the tongue member is shown in its secured or locked position, while in FIGS. 7 and 8, it is illustrated in its adjustable position.

Referring now again to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 7 and 8, the tongue member 7 includes the hook portion 9, and an adjusting means or member 10 pivotally connected together by pivot points 11 in pivot sockets 9b (FIG. 9), as will hereinafter be further described, and forming between the hook portion 9 and the adjusting member 10 an opening 12 through which the free end 6 of the belt web 2 may slidably and snugly pass.

The adjusting member 10 further includes a rigid tooth portion 13 containing a plurality of pointed teeth 14 thereon and a rigid flap portion 15 formed integral therewith, the latter being substantially perpendicular to and integral with the tooth portion 13. The adjusting member 10, including the flap portion 15 and tooth portion 13, is pivotally movable relative to the belt web 2 and relative to the 4 hook portion 9, the latter being pivotally immovable relative to the belt web 2.

In operation, when it is desired to insert the free end 6 of the belt 2 into the opening 12 of the tongue member 7, located between the hook portion 9 and the adjusting-member 10, or to adjust the size of the belt by sliding the tongue member 7 along the belt web 2, the flap portion 15 of the adjusting member 10 is manually turned or pivoted to the vertical position relative to the belt web 2 and the hook portion 9. In this position the teeth 14 of the tooth portion 13 are turned substantially parallel to and bent slightly away from the belt web 2, and the tongue member 7 may be readily slid along the belt web 2, as indicated in dashed lines in FIG. 7, since the teeth 14 cannot engage the belt.

After sliding the tongue member 7 to its desired position along the length of the belt web 2, the flap portion 15 is then pivoted and pressed against and substantially parallel to the belt 2, as illustrated in FIG. 4. In this position the teeth 14 of the tooth portion 13 are turned substantially perpendicular to the belt web 2 and engage the belt web, preventing further movement of the tongue member 7 along the belt web, and thereby securely positioning the tongue member 7 on the belt web 2 in the desired position.

The teeth 14 of the tooth portion 13 are preferably bent slightly less than relative to the flap portion 15, and positioned in the open or slidable position of the tongue member 7 (FIG. 7), so that the teeth 14 face the free end 6 of the belt web 2, being bent slightly away from the belt web 2, providing the advantage that, in this position, the tongue member 7 may be moved without interference; during the locked or secured position of the tongue member 7, relative to the belt web 2, as shown in FIGS. l through 6, the teeth 14 are still sightly positioned towards the end 6 of the belt 2, thereby preventing any tendency of the belt 2 to be slid off the tongue member 7 at this time.

The non-tooth portion of the tooth portion 13 is substantially flat and perpendicular to the flap portion 15 and abuts, in the unsecured position, the rear surface of the belt web 2, providing a guide for insuring the above-described positioning of the teeth 14 away from the belt web (FIG. 7), for satisfactory adjustment.

Further features of the adjusting member 10 of the present invention will be now described. The flap portion 15 is substantially flat, but is specially curved and outwardly bent at its free end 15a, so as to be centrally curved away from the belt web 2 when the adjusting member 10 is in the secured or immovable position (FIG. 4), thereby defining a finger-nail space for facilitating ready turning of the flap portion 15 into the unlocked position when desired. The curved portion or end 15a is relatively small in size and extent so that the adjusting member 10 remains substantially against the belt web when in the locked or secured position.

The teeth 14, preferably about six or seven in number, depending on the size of the belt, although not limited thereto, are pointed and are short, and widen rapidly in a direction away from the points thereof and are connected by circular arcs therebetween, so as not to tear the belt when placed in tension in the buckled position. As indicated, the teeth 14, being bent, and being short, further insure compactness of the adjustment member 10 when locked.

The hook member 9 contains several advantageous features of the present invention which will now be described.

The hook member 9 includes a substantially triangular side 9a spaced approximately equal to the width of the surfaces of the belt web 2 and formed with outwardly pressed pivot sockets 9b' (FIGS. 2, 7 and 9) adjacent the rear surface of the belt web 2 into which the complementary pivot `points 11, formed intermediate t-he tooth portion 13 of the adjusting member 10 are squeezed resiliently therebetween and 4consequently disposed for pivoting relative thereto. The triangular sides 9a of the hook portion 9 of the tongue member 7 are oriented so that a front base line 9c (FIG. 7) thereof is aligned substantially adjacent and parallel to the front surface of the belt web 2, and the remote angle of the triangular side 9a containing the pivot socket 9b depends therefrom to the rear surface of the belt web 2, spanning the thickness of the belt web.

The hook 9u of the hook portion 9 extends slightly upwardly and is bent substantially parallel to the front surface of the belt web 2, pointing away from the buckle member 1 and depends from a plate 9d. The plate 9d spans and is connected to and between the preferably triangular sides 9a adjacent the base lines 9c of the triangular sides 9a, constituting the lateral edges of the plate 9d, so as to be substantially parallel to and abuttingly contiguous to the front surface of the belt web 2 for secure locking. With this arrangement of the hook portion 9, the hook 9a cannot pivot or turn relative to the surface of the belt web 2, and the hook 9a is therefore always substantially parallel to the front surface of the belt web, even during adjustment of the tongue member 7. In width and length the hook 9a extends centrally about half the length and width of the plate 7d.

The hook 9a extends from lateral edge 9e of the plate 9d, which edge 9e is closest to the buckle member 1, and the hook 9a is further bent slightly inwardly at t-he central portion 9f thereof, providing a narrower area between the plate 9d and the hook 9a at the center for securely holding the buckle member 1 therebetween when the hook 9a is fastened into the eye formation 8 of the buckle member 1. The open or free end 9b of the hook 9a is accordingly ared providing a larger space, facilitating easy latching of the hook 9a into the eye formation 8 of the buckle member 1. A cut-out 9g is formed adjacent the edge 9e of the plate 9d in the central portion thereof forming a spring flap 9h therein integral with the hook 9a which may be adjusted as desired to further narrow the center space between the hook 9a and the plate 9d and for secure latching.

Referring now again to the dawings, and in particular to FIG. 10, the buckle member 1 is illustrated as a coveryour-own buckle, generally similar to that shown in U.S. Patent No. 2,643,430 entitled Covered Buckle and Parts Thereo granted June 30, 1953, of which one of the present inventors, Hans A. Prym, is a co-inventor, and U.S. Patent No. 2,513,182 entitled Covered Buttons, Buckles, and the Like, granted June 27, 1950, of which Hans A. Prym is also a co-inventor, as well as similar to the cover-your-own buttons as disclosed in Hans A. Pryms copending U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 590,- 164, entitled Snap-Fastener, led on Oct. 14, 1966. The buckle member 1 comprises a front form piece 16 having a plurality of rearwardly and inwardly extending teeth 17 on both marginal edges of the front form piece 16 for engaging thereon a textile cloth covering 18. The front form piece 16 is slightly curved and hollowed and may be made of various materials, preferably metals, plastic and the like, and is complementary for snap-on engagement with a back plate 19 constiuting a second part of the buckle member 1 and securing the textile material 18 therebetween and to the teeth 17 (FIGS. 4 and 6).

The back plate 19 of the buckle member 1, although not limited thereto, includes the cross bar 4, formed integrally therewith, to which the loop 3 of the belt web 2 is attached (the latter being shown in dashed lines in FIG. The back plate 19 also contains the eye formation 8 constituting a recessed cut in the rear surface of the back plate and which by cooperation with the hollow space between the back plate 19 and the front form piece 16 (FIGS. 4 and 6), when snapped together, forming the hollow therebetween, provides a slot or eye formation 8' into which the hook 9a of the tongue member 7 may be inserted for engagement for fastening of the buckle. It should be noted, however, that other types of eye formations are entirely within the scope of the present invention, for example, such as pressed out portions, and others, although in conjunction with the cover-your-own two-part buckle member of FIG. 10, such a slot formation as illustrated is desirable for manufacturing and cost economies. Preferably, as may be seen in FIGS. 6 and 10, the eye formations are formed by slots in the inclined corners of the buckle member 1 that face in a direction opposite to the pointing of the hook 9a, so as to facilitate easy insertion of the hook 9a therein. As shown in the drawings, these inclined corners are respectively located at the extreme right hand edges of each end of the buckle member.

Referring now again to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. l1 and 12, another embodiment of the adjustable buckle assembly in accordance with the present invention is illustrated, in position for fastening, and includes a preferably metallic sew-on-eye 8 having a depending central portion 8a and which sew-on-eye 8 is sewed to the rear surface of the free end 6 of the belt web 2 at ends 8b thereof through holes 8c therein. 'Ihe depending central portion 8a of the sew-on-eye 8 is accordingly spaced from the rear side of the belt web 2 defining a spaced eye slot therebetween. The adjustable tongue member 7 containing the hook portion 9, similar to that described above in connection with FIGS. 1-10, is adjustably positioned on the belt web 2 adjacent the sewed-on-loop end of the belt web, which sewed-onloop 3 is attached to the buckle member 1', with the hook 9a of the hook portion 9 facing the front and pointing away from the free end 6 of the belt web 2. To fasten the buckle assembly, the free end 6 of the belt web 2 iS inserted into the buckle member 1, as described above in connection with FIGS. 3 and 6, and then the sew-oneye 8" is hooked into engagement with the hook 9a, the hook 9a being inserted into the eye slot between the rear surface of the belt web 2 and the central portion 8a of the sew-on-eye 8". In this position, the sew-on-eye 8" and the tongue member 7 are concealed from view behind the rear surface of the belt web 2 providing a neat and fashionable appearance for the buckle. In this buckle assembly embodiment, the slots 8 and 8" in buckle member 1 of FIGS. 1-10, are eliminated and the buckle assembly is adapted for various type buckles as well as cover-your-own-buckles.

We claim:

1. An adjustable buckle assembly comprising a buckle member having a front surface and a rear surface,

said buckle member being adapted to be attached t0 an end of a belt web, the latter including a front surface and a rear surface,

a tongue member adapted to be adjustably positioned on said belt web and spaced apart from said buckle member,

eye means interengaging said tongue member in an operative fastened position of said adjustable buckle assembly,

said eye means being disposed at least on said buckle member,

said tongue member including a hook portion having a hook adjacent the front surface of said belt web and facing away from said eye means when said adjustable buckle `assembly is in an inoperative fastened posltion,

said hook releasably engaging in said eye means in Said operative fastened position of said adjustable buckle assembly,

said tongue member including an adjusting means adapted to slide said tongue member along said belt web and to releasably lock securely said tongue member to said belt web at any desired position along said belt web,

said buckle member comprises Aa front form piece and a substantially complementary back plate for snapping engagement together,

said front form piece including a plurality of rearwardly extending and inwardly bent teeth for securing a textile covering about and to a front surface of said front -form piece when said back plate and said front form piece are snapped together, and said eye means comprising at least one slot formed in the rear surface of said back plate adapted to selectively receive and conceal the hook therein. 2. The adjustable buckle assembly, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said tongue member sized relative to said buckle member, so as to be covered by said buckle member when said hook is releasably engaged in said eye means. 3. The adjustable buckle assembly, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said buckle member has two oppositely disposed ends,

and said at least one slot constituting the eye formation is located on either of said two oppositely disposed ends at the rear surface of said buckle member. 4. The adjustable buckle assembly, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said adjusting means comprises a tooth portion and a flap portion integrally formed substantially perpendicular to each other and pivotally connected to said hook portion, said tongue lmember adapted to pass said belt web between said hook portion and said tooth portion, said tooth portion including teeth engaging securely said belt web when said flap portion is pressed substantially parallel to and against said belt web, thereby turning said teeth substantially into said belt web, and said teeth disengaging said belt web for slidable adjustment of said tongue member along said belt web when said ap portion is turned substantially perpendicularly relative to said belt web, thereby turning said teeth substantially parallel to said belt web. 5. The adjustable buckle assembly, as set forth in claim 4, wherein said hook portion is non-rotatably fixed relative to said belt web and said hook is non-rotatably fixed substantially parallel to said belt web. 6. The adjustable buckle assembly, as set forth in claim 4, wherein said flap portion is slightly curved at a free end thereof extending away from the rear surface of said belt web and idefining a space therebetween when said iiap portion is pressed against said belt web. 7. The adjustable buckle assembly, as set forth in claim 4, wherein said tooth portion and said flap portion are substantially flat and are perpendicular to one another, said teeth form an angle of less than 90 with said flap portion, and said adjusting means positioned so that said teeth face towards said eye means when said adjustable buckle assembly is in the unfastened position and said flap portion is turned substantially perpendicularly to said belt web. 8. The adjustable buckle assembly, as set forth in claim 7, wherein said teeth are relatively short and have pointed ends and widen rapidly away from said ends. 9. The adjustable buckle assembly, as set forth in claim 4, wherein said hook portion comprises, two side plates spaced approximately a distance equal to the width of said belt web,

a fiat plate joining said two side plates and positioned at against the front surface of said belt web, and said hook extending from said at plate slightly away from said belt web and bent facing away from said eye means in said unfastened position terminating in an open end. 10. The adjustable buckle assembly, as set forth in claim 9, wherein said hook is centrally narrowed and is flared at the open end thereof providing secure fastening of said hook in said eye means and facilitating insertion thereof, respectively. 11. The adjustable buckle assembly, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said flat plate defines a central cut out forming a spring ilap adjacent said centrally narrowed portion of said hook. 12. The adjustable buckle assembly, as set forth in claim 9, wherein said side plates include an edge thereof aligned substantially adjacent and parallel to said front surface of said belt web and depend therefrom beyond the rear surface of said belt web and are formed at the latter portion with outwardly pressed pivot sockets, and said adjusting means being pivotally mounted into said pivot sockets substantially laterally and intermediate said flap portion. 13. The adjustable buckle assembly, as set forth in claim l2, wherein said side plates are triangles and said edge is a base line thereof and said pivot sockets are formed adjacent to an angle of said triangles remote from said base line. 14. The adjustable buckle assembly, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said buckle member denes a central opening and includes a cross bar extending across said central opening, and said cross bar adapted to be attached to said end of said belt web. 15. The adjustable buckle assembly, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said buckle member denes a central opening and includes a cross bar extending across said central opening, and said cross bar constituting a part of said back plate and adapted to be attached to said end of said belt web.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 362,601 5/ 1887 Bretzeld 24--75 XR 436,262 9/1890 Richards 24-78 687,572 11/1901 Phillips 24--75 1,908,038 5/ 1933 Mackenzie 2--321 1,995,749 3/1935 Rosenblum 24--78 2,065,202 12/1936 Weidhorn 24-75 2,245,950 6/ 1941 Williams 24-73.9 2,362,732 11/1944 Tarbox 2-321 2,643,430 6/1953 Koehl et al. 2,772,463 12/ 195 6 Scheuer. 3,077,020 2/ 1963 Shears 24-77 L, DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 2-321; 24-163 

